Posted 2:48 am Sunday, June 20, 2010
Lee, Whitehouse Qualify For State 7-On-7 Tournament
By CHRIS PARRY
Staff Writer
Robert E. Lee and Whitehouse are going back to the 7 on 7 State Tournament.
Staff Writer
Robert E. Lee and Whitehouse are going back to the 7 on 7 State Tournament.
Each accomplished it differently with Whitehouse relying on the strong hands of Trey Metoyer to beat North Crowley 42-31, while Lee used lock-down defense to overcome the absence of three starters, winning their semifinal over Jacksonville 32-20.
The games capped the Tyler Lee State Qualifying Tournament on Saturday at Lindsey Park.
This marks the 12th year in a row for the Red Raiders to qualify for the 7 on 7 state tournament. Lee won the event in 2004.
"The number one goal every year is for every kid to get better and the second goal is to qualify for state," said head coach Randy Womble. "We've gone to tournaments (earlier) and we didn't make plays when we had to make them. Today, they just kind of put everything together, it felt better and I am real pleased."
The Red Raiders were without top returning receivers Marquis Mosley and Tyler Huffstickler, along with returning playmaker LaQuintas Wallace. Lee's defense held the Indians in check for five of their eight possessions with three interceptions.
Incoming senior cornerback Marvin Gray set the tone for Lee in the semifinals with an interception in the end zone as REL held Jacksonville without a touchdown until its final drive of the game.
"We just came together, got together as a team and had to strap it on," said Gray, who has been offered a scholarship by Illinois, but hasn't given an oral commitment to any school yet. "I was really surprised (with how we played in the semifinal), but we just had to come out and play hard."
Metoyer, an Oklahoma commit, caught four touchdown passes in the semifinals as Whitehouse topped North Crowley. The Wildcats raced out to a three-score lead and never gave North Crowley a chance to come back.
"This is great qualifying two years in a row," Metoyer said. "We've been together since eighth grade, and we are used to playing with each other. (North Crowley) was really athletic, but we (felt we matched up well) and just came out and did our part."
The teams decided not to play a championship game and join John Tyler, which qualified for state last week, in preparing to compete in the Fox Sports Net 7 on 7 State Tournament July 9-10 at Texas A&M University.
Lee 32, Jacksonville 20
Lee reached the semifinals by going 2-1 in Pool D play with victories over Bellaire Episcopal (41-31) and Dallas Conrad (44-0).
Lee reached the semifinals by going 2-1 in Pool D play with victories over Bellaire Episcopal (41-31) and Dallas Conrad (44-0).
The Red Raiders dropped their opener to Arlington Lamar (39-26), but the Vikings were not eligible to win the group having already qualified for the state tournament. The Indians reached the semifinals by going unbeaten in Pool C with wins over Greenville (35-21), Saginaw Boswell (46-28) and A&M Consolidated (31-12).
Gray's interception was a sign of things to come in the semifinal as Preston Conder drove Lee down the field and hooked up with Hayden Tomlinson for the touchdown. Dennis Edwards caught the conversion to make it 7-0.
Jacksonville quarterback Ryan Black fired back with a 40-yard catch-and-run touchdown to Darrell Minifree. The conversion tied the game at 7-7.
REL struck back with Conder lofting a 40-yard touchdown pass to Edwards, who tipped the ball to himself over the defender. An interception by Lee's Pat Durman gave REL the ball back and Conder hooked up with Edwards again for the score to make it 20-7.
Jacksonville cut its deficit to 20-14, but left enough time on the clock for Conder to fire a scoring pass to Tomlinson, giving Lee a 26-14 halftime lead.
The defenses controlled the second half as Lee was denied on fourth and goal followed by REL's third interception, this time by Bryce Braly.
Joseph Seeber finally got Lee in the end zone with a scoring pass to Conder.
Whitehouse 42, North Crowley 31
The Wildcats scored four touchdowns or more in all three of their Pool B games with wins over John Tyler (34-33), Atlanta (33-26) and Rockwall (28-18).
The Wildcats scored four touchdowns or more in all three of their Pool B games with wins over John Tyler (34-33), Atlanta (33-26) and Rockwall (28-18).
North Crowley emerged from a high-powered Pool A as all six pool-play games featured a combined 50 points or more. The Panthers outgunned Marshall (32-21), Colleyville Heritage (34-25) and Sulphur Springs (34-26).
A long scoring strike from Whitehouse quarterback Hunter Taylor to Metoyer set the tone with Whitehouse stopping North Crowley on an interception and doubling its lead with a second touchdown pass to Metoyer.
The Wildcats led 21-12 at halftime before doubling their lead at the start of the second half and maintaining their advantage the rest of the way.
"That was our biggest thing was to come out here quick and don't lay down," Metoyer said. "We knew we wanted to repeat (going to state) again, so that's what we did."
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Tyler Lee 7 on 7 State
Qualifying Tournament
Tyler Lee 7 on 7 State
Qualifying Tournament
Saturday at Lindsey Park
Pool A
North Crowley 32, Marshall 21; Sulphur Springs 45, Colleyville Heritage 39; North Crowley 34, Sulphur Springs 26; Sulphur Springs 53, Marshall 26. North Crowley 3-0, Marshall 2-1, Sulphur Springs 2-1, Colleyville Heritage 0-3.
Pool A
North Crowley 32, Marshall 21; Sulphur Springs 45, Colleyville Heritage 39; North Crowley 34, Sulphur Springs 26; Sulphur Springs 53, Marshall 26. North Crowley 3-0, Marshall 2-1, Sulphur Springs 2-1, Colleyville Heritage 0-3.
Pool B
Whitehouse 34, John Tyler 33, Atlanta 32, Rockwall 26; Whitehouse 33, Atlanta 26; John Tyler 39, Rockwall 21; Whitehouse 28, Rockwall 18; John Tyler 46, Atlanta 6. Whitehouse 3-0, *John Tyler 2-1, Atlanta 1-2, Rockwall 0-3.
Whitehouse 34, John Tyler 33, Atlanta 32, Rockwall 26; Whitehouse 33, Atlanta 26; John Tyler 39, Rockwall 21; Whitehouse 28, Rockwall 18; John Tyler 46, Atlanta 6. Whitehouse 3-0, *John Tyler 2-1, Atlanta 1-2, Rockwall 0-3.
Pool C
A&M Consolidated 40, Saginaw Boswell 39; Jacksonville 35, Greenville 21; Jacksonville 34, A&M Consolidated 25; Saginaw Boswell 46, Greenville 28; A&M Consolidated 31, Greenville 12; Jacksonville 46, Saginaw Boswell 40. Jacksonville 3-0, A&M Consolidated 2-1, Boswell 1-2, Greenville 0-3.
A&M Consolidated 40, Saginaw Boswell 39; Jacksonville 35, Greenville 21; Jacksonville 34, A&M Consolidated 25; Saginaw Boswell 46, Greenville 28; A&M Consolidated 31, Greenville 12; Jacksonville 46, Saginaw Boswell 40. Jacksonville 3-0, A&M Consolidated 2-1, Boswell 1-2, Greenville 0-3.
Pool D
Dallas Conrad 24, Bellaire Episcopal 20; Arlington Lamar 39, Robert E. Lee 26; Arlington Lamar 32, Dallas Conrad 13; Robert E. Lee 41, Bellaire Episcopal 31; Arlington Lamar 32, Bellaire Episcopal 18; Robert E. Lee 44, Dallas Conrad 0. *Arlington Lamar 3-0, Robert E. Lee 2-1, Dallas Conrad 1-0, Bellaire Episcopal 0-3.
Dallas Conrad 24, Bellaire Episcopal 20; Arlington Lamar 39, Robert E. Lee 26; Arlington Lamar 32, Dallas Conrad 13; Robert E. Lee 41, Bellaire Episcopal 31; Arlington Lamar 32, Bellaire Episcopal 18; Robert E. Lee 44, Dallas Conrad 0. *Arlington Lamar 3-0, Robert E. Lee 2-1, Dallas Conrad 1-0, Bellaire Episcopal 0-3.
* -- Already qualified for state so ineligible to advance out of pool play.
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Semifinals
Robert E. Lee 32, Jacksonville 20
Semifinals
Robert E. Lee 32, Jacksonville 20
Whitehouse 42, North Crowley 21
